They knew that I did not have the
expertise to answer many of their
questions, so they had to use resources
beyond our classroom to learn. My job
was to support them in using the tools
and resources available to them. One
of my mantras as a teacher is “figure
it out.”

The 21st-Century Versionof “Ask 3 Before Me”

As students work, they will inevitablyhave questions. Teachers often feelthat they need provide immediateanswers, but this does not teach stu-dents the skills they need to be lifelonglearners. Instead of the “ask 3 beforeme” approach where students ask theirpeers, I encourage my kids to do thefollowing:n Google it.n Find a You Tube tutorial.n Ask a question on social media.Teachers working with youngstudents who don’t use social mediain the classroom can replace “ask aquestion on social media” with “ask apeer.” The point is to train students touse the resources they have access toat school and at home to ask questionsand find answers.

Google It

My students often investigate topics
that I do not have expertise in. To
answer their questions, I’d have to
do a Google search myself, find a
reliable source, read it, and produce an
answer. Why not teach students how
to do this for themselves?

We spend a lot of time in my class
learning how to search smarter,
evaluate the credibility of websites,
cross reference, and synthesize information from different sources. My goal
is to produce savvy searchers confident
in their online research skills.

Find a You Tube Tutorial

When I was growing up, if I wanted to
learn how to do something, I checked
out a library book or signed up for a
class. Watching my own children learn
is a whole different experience. When
my daughter wanted to learn how to
make elaborate rubber band bracelets,
she didn’t ask me. She didn’t check out
a book. She went online and found a
series of You Tube tutorials produced
by a child not much older than herself.

She found a video with a pattern
she liked and watched 30 seconds
of explanation, paused the video,
and replicated what she saw. In 25
minutes, she had successfully created
her first rubber band bracelet without
any assistance from me.

Videos are powerful learning tools.

They allow students to self-pace
through the information, provide easy-to-follow visuals, and are available
anytime.

Ask a Question on Social Media

I want my students to know that
social media can be used for more
than posting selfies and chatting
with friends. It can be leveraged for
learning.

I turn to social media weekly forinspiration and clarification. For ideason community building activities,classroom decor, or STEM challenges,I turn to Pinterest. When I’m stucktrying to use a new technology toolor need teaching resources, I tweetquestions or requests for resourcesusing popular education hashtagslike #edchat. Within minutes, I havedozens of responses. Even if peoplecan’t help, they often direct me tosomeone who can. It’s like havingan infinite support network thatis available 24/7. I’m continuallyamazed by how easy it is to connectwith actual experts willing to lendassistance online.

The key to unleashing curious
problem solvers is to allow students
agency and provide them with concrete strategies for working through
challenging situations using accessible
tools. Not only will we produce more
engaged learners, but our students will
also cultivate the skills they need to
continue learning and solving
problems long after they leave our
classrooms. EL

Catlin Tucker is a
teacher, international
trainer, speaker, and best-selling author. Her most
recent books are Blended
Learning in Action

(Corwin, 2016) and
Creatively Teach the Common Core Literacy
Standards with Technology (Corwin,

2015). She blogs at Catlintucker.com.

Follow her on Twitter @Catlin_Tucker.

If students can shape their own learningexperiences, they will be more invested inthem and inclined to stick with their workeven in moments of confusion or frustration.